Production and technology of bio-diesel

The use of biomass-based fuels is likely to grow in future. However, due to the uncertainties about the environmental impacts of large scale conversion of biomass crops into fuel on the soil quality, water resources, and overall GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions, the feasibility of using these biofuels is not clear. Nevertheless, jatropha based bio-diesel will definitely reduce India's dependence on fossil fuels. Moreover, jatropha can easily be grown on wastelands. This will not only bring the abandoned wastelands under profitable cultivation but also increase the green cover. This book discusses in detail the existing technologies related to synthesizing bio-diesel from jatropha and the need for refinement of existing technologies and available resources. Economic analysis of bio-diesel production is also discussed extensively. Also, there is a mention of policy orientation, which is needed from the government to support this promising initiative. Apart from this, the economic viability of the jatropha-based technology vis-à-vis crop-residue-based biofuels has been assessed objectively.

Dr Alok Adholeya is currently the Director of Biotechnology and Management of Bioresources Division at TERI, New Delhi. His distinguished career has been largely devoted to finding and developing ways to harness the power of microbes, particularly mycorrhizae, to increase the productivity of crop plants and restore degraded lands.

Dr Pradeep Kumar Dadhich is a Senior Fellow in TERI. He is currently working in energy security and climate change projects, and has significant expertise in power-generating technologies. He has also been involved in carrying out techno-economic analysis of several oil and gas projects, and decentralized power-generating technologies.